Scripps National Spelling Bee

coureur
Fri, 29 May 2009 10:45:25 +0000

^^French and Greek words are always popular for spelling bees because their spelling rules and conventions are often quite different from good ol’ Anglo-Saxon.

The words that seemed “easy” to me this year were becquerel and xebec. Readers of Patrick O’Brian ("Master and Commander’) will all know xebec, since Jack captures a xebec frigate in the very first book.